<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://jakemurraystudio.com/">Jake Murray</a>)</h6>
<h1>Let's Call it a Draw</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Preview Review</em>, the series where we go over cards you might have missed in the eternal preview season! These cards have been performing at my table, so maybe with a bit of luck, they can perform at yours. Let's dive in!</p>
<p>For some time now, <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has been on a mission to ensure that good card draw can be found in each color. White is typically on everyone's minds when we think of colors that need card draw support. Recently, white has been getting plenty of exciting card draw options, and I feel like it's taking attention away from some great options in other colors. Namely, red.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Secret Rendezvous"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cut a Deal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smuggler&#039;s Share"></div></div>
<p>In this article, we'll cover some of red's new hits. It should go without saying that card draw and card advantage are some of the most important parts of the deckbuilding process. It doesn't matter how impactful your game-winning combo or haymaker is if you don’t draw it, after all. Today we’re going to look at two types of card draw: impulse and discard, and how to choose the right one for your deck.</p>
<h2>Act on Impulse</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve"></div></div>
<p>Let’s begin by looking at impulse draw. Impulse draw refers to cards similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Impulse" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Impulse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Typically, this involves exiling cards from the top of your library and giving you a limited time to play them. It’s this limited timeframe that gives impulse draw its name. Red mages, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Torch of Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Torch of Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, embody impulse draw. In fact, multiple Chandra planeswalker cards actually feature impulse draw as one of their loyalty abilities. All of these abilities represent red's ferocity in pulling spells from the raw elements themselves and making the best of them whilst it's able to.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reckless Impulse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra, Torch of Defiance"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve" href="#" target="_blank">Wrenn&#039;s Resolve</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the newest in this suite of impulse draw spells. It offers your choice of two cards for one generic and one red mana until your next end step. This means from the turn you cast it, you have until the end of your following turn to make use of the cards it exiles. After that, they’re gone forever. Unless you’re running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, the Great Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, the Great Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, of course. Two mana for your choice of two cards for nearly two entire turns is a pretty good rate. However, some deckbuilders shy away from impulse draw, especially those who are newer to Commander. At some of these tables, criticism of impulse draw goes a little something like this:</p>
<blockquote><p>What if I exile something I really need?</p>
<p>I run a combo. I don’t want to exile half of my combo.</p></blockquote>
<p>Well, here’s the thing:</p>
<h2>Live in the Moment</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gravecrawler"></div></div>
<p>Your entire deck is full of the cards you need. In fact, if your deck contains cards you don’t need, then why are they even in your deck at all? Now, of course there’s the valid point of having some redundancy. If a theme or strategy is integral to your deck’s ability to function, wouldn’t it be a good idea to include those cards in multiples? This way, if you do accidentally exile something you need, you’re more likely to have similar cards in your deck that have an identical function. After all, if you only run one of these cards and your opponent resolves a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> against it, you’ve lost it anyway. Redundancies are key to good deckbuilding.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker"></div></div>
<p>Of course, combos are how a good deal of Commander decks are able to close out the game. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravecrawler" href="#" target="_blank">Gravecrawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can go infinite with more cards than you can shake a stick at. But what if you accidentally exile one half of your combo away with impulse draw?</p>
<p>While it’s clever and sometimes sensible to include a combo in your deck, if those cards do nothing without each other, they become dead cards in your hand. Thus, it’s good practice to include either:</p>
<ul>
<li>Multiple combo pieces that you’re able to go infinite with. In the case of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, why not include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corridor Monitor" href="#" target="_blank">Corridor Monitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as well as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? You’re twice as likely to find that game-winning card, and you’re also twice as likely not to accidentally exile the other half of your combo.</li>
<li>Cards that fulfill a role outside of your combo. If we flip the scenario and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets exiled, what use are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corridor Monitor" href="#" target="_blank">Corridor Monitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your deck? Are they still worth running if their complementary card is exiled? Can you use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corridor Monitor" href="#" target="_blank">Corridor Monitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s untap ability in another way? Maybe, if your deck runs a lot of blink or enter-the-battlefield abilities. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s ability to gain control of any permanent on the battlefield can become pseudo-removal when paired with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a sacrifice deck. My key point is that each card can't be dead in your hand if you ensure that those cards have a purpose whenever you draw them.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reckless Impulse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra, Fire Artisan"></div></div>
<p>Impulse draw can be found on namesake cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Impulse" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Impulse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, newer ones, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve" href="#" target="_blank">Wrenn&#039;s Resolve</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and as the hallmark abilities of planeswalkers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Fire Artisan" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Fire Artisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But this wouldn’t be a preview review article without me pointing you in the direction of underrated sleeper cards, would it?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk"></div></div>
<p>Be sure to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra&#039;s Research Desk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as your third pseudo-copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Impulse" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Impulse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Aside from being relevant for artifact strategies, it’s impulse draw for two colorless mana. No need to worry about which color pips you have, and if you’re missing one, this card can help you find it. The <em>U</em><i>nearth</i> ability is where this card really shines, though, and for three mana we can activate it late game to add more fuel to the fire!</p>
<p>Don’t forget that <em>Unearth</em> goes really well with commanders who care about cards leaving your graveyard, too (looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quintorius, Field Historian" href="#" target="_blank">Quintorius, Field Historian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<h2>What a Thrill...</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrill of Possibility"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tormenting Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cathartic Reunion"></div></div>
<p>There's also discard draw, known as rummaging. This includes cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrill of Possibility" href="#" target="_blank">Thrill of Possibility</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormenting Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Tormenting Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathartic Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Cathartic Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Discard draw has been solid for a long time, and for years was the only real kind of card draw in red. The benefits of discard draw are less focused on whether you should include it rather than how to make the best of it. It's also important to note that discard draw has been getting some stealthy upgrades in recent sets.</p>
<p>While the classics are still very playable, the overall quality of discard draw has increased over the years. If you’re looking for a replacement for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormenting Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Tormenting Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I encourage you to run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> instead, or simply run both of them. Their enchantment card type is relevant for enchantress strategies, and the enter-the-battlefield ability can be reused when paired with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flicker of Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Flicker of Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Finally, the ability to give haste can help you keep the pressure on your opponents by consistently attacking, or it can allow your combo piece to go off that turn rather than having to protect it for a table-wide turn rotation.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bitter Reunion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flicker of Fate"></div></div>
<h2>But If It Ain't Broke...</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feldon of the Third Path"></div></div>
<p>What can we include to ensure that we’re getting the most out of the card we discard? Simple: let’s make better use of our graveyard.</p>
<p>When we think about colors that can make use of the graveyard, we usually think of black, but red is no slouch, let me assure you! Classic cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feldon of the Third Path" href="#" target="_blank">Feldon of the Third Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can create token copies of the creature cards in your graveyard, allowing you to consistently reuse your best enter-the-battlefield ability and keep the pressure on by attacking with disposable tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Past in Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Past in Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can take care of the instants and sorceries you may have discarded in the early-game, allowing you access to those cards in the late-game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Past in Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Past in Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> itself has <em>Fl</em><i>ashback</i>, making itself a great card to pitch to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra&#039;s Research Desk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the first place.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk"></div></div>
<p>Finally, a card that needs no introduction: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wins games, period. Your early-game discard spells can be the subtle way you fill your graveyard with targets for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, allowing you to win seemingly out of nowhere.</p>
<p>For a much humbler way of utilizing your graveyard in red, opt for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmatic Sinkhole" href="#" target="_blank">Magmatic Sinkhole</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your deck’s removal package. Five points of damage are enough to kill some of the format’s key threats and most of its value engines. A mana value of six is a lot, but that cost could come down considerably if we’ve been strategically discarding in the early stages of the game. A potential one-mana spell turned into an instant-speed five damage out of nowhere can destabilize even the most certain of your opponents' turns.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Past in Flames"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magmatic Sinkhole"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underworld Breach"></div></div>
<p>I hope you’ve enjoyed this theory article. It’s a little bit different from the usual <em>Preview Review</em>, as we’ve discussed a lot more "why" and a lot less "what". That being said, why we’re putting these cards in our decks can be just as important as what these cards are in the first place.</p>
<p>Do you have any pet draw cards you like to include in your decks? Let me know in the comments below. Or you can chat with me on <a href="http://twitter.com/princeofbieltan">Twitter</a>, where we’re always finding new inclusions for our decks. I’ll see you in the next one!</p>


Preview Review - Exile or Discard?

Singleton Shmingleton - Merfolk Looter

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rooftop Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rooftop Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://stankoillustration.com/">John Stanko</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I'll guide you through each aspect that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background attention. This time around we’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist" href="#" target="_blank">Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus"></div></div>
<p>When talking about Ludevic, it's nearly impossible to avoid his ultimate creation, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus" href="#" target="_blank">Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and because they both have <em>Partner</em>, the deck we build will have both of them as its commanders.</p>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Ludevic of Ulm is a reclusive necro-alchemist that lives in Havengul on the plane of Innistrad. In his necro-alchemical pursuits, he aims for more than simply the creation of Skaabs. Instead, Ludevic aims to understand the horror his creations inspire. Some think that Ludevic's consumption of potions and inhalation of toxic vapors has left him no choice but to abandon his experiments, leaving him to devote his sizable intellect to the problem of making himself and his business partners filthy rich. He has taken Geralf Cecani under his wing, training him in the arts of necro-alchemy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stitcher Geralf"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42166 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicName.jpg" alt="" width="449" height="90" /></a></p>
<p>A necro-alchemist is a wizard that harnesses the energy of Geists to fuel crazed technological inventions. Effectively, they achieve necromancy through alchemical means. Also known as "skaberen," these wizards hone the craft of creating frankensteinian monstrosities known as Skaabs. Skaabs are blue-aligned Zombies that frequently interact with the graveyard, either through putting cards there from the top of the library, or requiring creatures (corpses) to be exiled from your graveyard. Using up dead bodies to craft a Skaab evokes images of a crazed scientist in a lab coat standing over a piecemeal behemoth abomination, periodically illuminated by blindingly bright arcs of electricity, and we can see through various cards in the game that Ludevic's protégé, Geralf, is following in his mentor's footsteps.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geralf&#039;s Masterpiece"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42163 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicCost.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="83" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Blue: </strong>Intelligence is king; a Wizard must accumulate as much knowledge as possible. Blue is controlled and calculated.</p>
<p><strong>Red: </strong>Impulsive and rash, red is the wild inventor. Exploring an idea only as long as it holds their attention.</p>
<p><strong>Izzet (blue/red): </strong> Leaping from one ill-conceived experiment to another, an Izzet mage is able to spend much time studying, but will abandon fruitless pursuits for more promising experiments. Blue and red embody the mad scientist moving from one obsessive project to the next.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42168 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicType.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="89" /></a></p>
<p>Ludevic is <em>Magic: the Gathering</em>'s Dr. Frankenstein. Unlike that unfortunate would-be giver of life, however, Ludevic is enthralled by his creation and loves the horror Kraum brings to the denizens of Havengul. Instead of running away from the meat golem, Ludevic studies it.</p>
<p>A simple way to build the deck would be as a Zombie tribal deck. The colors of Ludevic don't line up with the primary color of the Zombie tribe (black), and though Ludevic does create monstrosities, he is truly obsessed with the horror he can inflict. The primary path to victory for this deck is a bit of a cobbled together monstrosity itself. Mill, resource denial, and punisher themes all come together here to form a rather annoying deck that, oddly enough, functions a bit like a Group Hug deck. The card that best showcases this idea is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fevered Visions" href="#" target="_blank">Fevered Visions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fevered Visions"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sulfuric Vortex"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Copper Tablet"></div></div>
<p>It functions similarly to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Howling Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Howling Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but asks for a bit in return. This is exactly how we want Ludevic to function. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sulfuric Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Sulfuric Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copper Tablet" href="#" target="_blank">Copper Tablet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> pair with Ludevic to fuel our own Fevered Visions.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicRules.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42167 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicRules.jpg" alt="" width="625" height="286" /></a></p>
<p>Ludevic is a somewhat political commander. Using his ability to point aggression elsewhere is a good way to keep your life total higher than your opponents'. However, I want to trigger this for other people; I want people to have so many cards in their hands that they feel inclined to decline the draw. As mentioned before, using cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sulfuric Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Sulfuric Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copper Tablet" href="#" target="_blank">Copper Tablet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will automatically trigger Ludevic on each of your opponents' turns.</p>
<p>With Ludevic filling the hand, we have access to a few extra options to deal continual damage to our opponents that rely upon the number of cards in hand.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Give Em the Clamps" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Clamps!]
Viseling
Black Vise
Ebony Owl Netsuke
Thumbscrews
Iron Maiden
Misers&#039; Cage
[/Clamps!]"></span></div>
<hr />
<h2>Flavor Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicFlavor.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42164 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicFlavor.jpg" alt="" width="582" height="104" /></a></p>
<p>When selecting corpses for experimentation, those with large, healthy brains make the most excellent servants. If he is feeling particularly generous, Ludevic will take those less naturally gifted and give them some lessons. In <em>Magic</em>, a thought in one's mind is represented by a card in hand. With Ludevic's ability, we're hoping to load up everyone's hand with as many cards as possible; let's get those brains nice and fat, ready for the harvest.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brain in a Jar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Folio of Fancies"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forced Fruition"></div></div>
<p>The next step in our gameplan is to limit our opponents' ability to take advantage of their bounty. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Laboratory" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Laboratory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damping Sphere" href="#" target="_blank">Damping Sphere</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> limit the amount of spells cast each turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Maze" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Maze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Static Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Static Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all inhibit mana production. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forced Fruition" href="#" target="_blank">Forced Fruition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fits in this category as well because our opponent will never be able to empty their hands, which is the main goal of this group of cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Laboratory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Maze"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Static Orb"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicBasics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42239 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicBasics.jpg" alt="" width="530" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>The basic lands I've selected for Ludevic and Kraum are, appropriately, from the plane of Innistrad. The isolated tower on the water is the perfect quiet place to experiment while the small valley hamlet provides Kraum plenty of individuals to terrorize.</p>
<p>The deck has a very slim average converted mana cost, coming in just under three, and it boasts a healthy dose of card draw. These two factors make it run smoothly and consistently. It's fairly defenseless, aside from a few board wipes, so play them sparingly. People will absolutely get annoyed by a lot of the things this deck does, and aggression towards you is to be expected. Ultimately, the deck operates like a less-tuned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, but with loads of flavor.</p>
<p>No card costs over $20, and the deck as a whole sits around $250 if you were to assemble it yourself. The most surprising cost is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copper Tablet" href="#" target="_blank">Copper Tablet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which was once on the Reserved List pre-2002.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="IT LIVES!" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commanders]
*1 Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist
*1 Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus
[/Commanders]
[Creatures]
*1 Kami of the Crescent Moon
*1 Ludevic&#039;s Test Subject
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Gadwick, the Wizened
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
*1 Magus of the Wheel
*1 Dreamborn Muse
*1 Viseling
*1 Psychosis Crawler
*1 Stitcher Geralf
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
*1 The Locust God
*1 Dragon Mage
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Tormod&#039;s Crypt
*1 Black Vise
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Anvil of Bogardan
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Brain in a Jar
*1 Copper Tablet
*1 Damping Sphere
*1 Ebony Owl Netsuke
*1 Folio of Fancies
*1 Howling Mine
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Thumbscrews
*1 Winter Orb
*1 Iron Maiden
*1 Misers&#039; Cage
*1 Static Orb
*1 Temple Bell
*1 Font of Mythos
*1 Skullcage
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Minds Aglow
*1 Preordain
*1 Prosperity
*1 Fascination
*1 Mana Vapors
*1 Skyscribing
*1 Day&#039;s Undoing
*1 Windfall
*1 Wash Out
*1 Reforge the Soul
*1 Echo of Eons
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Vision Skeins
*1 Words of Wisdom
*1 Evacuation
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Mana Maze
*1 Arcane Laboratory
*1 Dictate of Kruphix
*1 Fevered Visions
*1 Psychic Corrosion
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage
*1 Sulfuric Vortex
*1 Manabarbs
*1 Pyrohemia
*1 Dictate of the Twin Gods
*1 Forced Fruition
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Jace Beleren
[/Planeswalker]
[Lands]
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fiery Islet
*15 Island
*11 Mountain
*1 Riptide Laboratory
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Spirebluff Canal
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Temple of Epiphany
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>I hope I've fueled your mind for your next experiment. The data on EDHREC relating to <em>Partner</em> commanders is a little hazy, but <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/kraum-ludevics-opus-ludevic-necro-alchemist">Ludevic and Kraum</a> command only 114 decks together. This is likely due to the fact that the main reason to run <em>Partner</em> commanders is to add additional colors. Whatever the reason, the two actually work decently well together; if Ludevic is giving out extra cards, your opponents will have more spells to cast, triggering Kraum. This build capitalizes on the extra card draw in order to find the cards that finally hinder the ability to cast extra spells in a turn rather than to draw cards throughout the entire game.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - Weird Science

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="War Horn" href="#" target="_blank">War Horn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.larsgrantwest.com/">Lars Grant-West</a>)</h6>
<h1>We Did a Thing!</h1>
<p>First, a note from Don, the founder of EDHREC:</p>
<blockquote><p>A few months ago an EDHREC user, Greg Bateman, came up with an independent Chrome extension called <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/better-edhrec/bifcpdpibocmmchlbdlfblelnefojbmk?hl=en">"Better EDHREC"</a> and <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/EDH/comments/a0qgnh/better_edhrec_chrome_extension/">shared it on Reddit</a>. The extension allowed users to keep track of cards they are considering in a clipboard panel while browsing EDHREC. I loved this idea, so we hired Greg to come over and implement his extension as a permanent fixture of the website and make several improvements over his original idea. It's finally here, and it's something I'm personally really excited about!</p></blockquote>
<p>And Don's not the only one! I'm chomping at the bit to take this new feature for a spin. Whether you're making a shopping list of cards you need for several decks, making comparisons between functionally similar cards to determine the best one to use, or brewing a Commander deck from scratch, this new clipboard function is a fantastic way to keep track of cards while using the site.</p>
<p>What better way to test it out than to make a new brew? If you're familiar with my article series <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/kyle-keller/"><em>Forgotten Harvest</em></a>, I typically focus on hyper-underplayed cards and get into some really weird synergies. Come on a journey with me while I use this new clipboard feature to build a new deck!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Populating the Clipboard</h2>
<p>I really like Izzet commanders, and can never decide on just one, so how about a deck that plays all of them? If I'm making UR legends, I can just go to the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes">Themes page</a> and find a UR commander under the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/legends">Legends Theme</a>.</p>
<p>What's that? There aren't any UR legendary creatures representing the Legends theme? Looks like I'll have to do this the hard way!<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-31788" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Untitled1.png" alt="" width="576" height="245" /></p>
<p>Time to put the clipboard to use. When you hover over a card, a white [+] appears in the upper-right corner of the card image. Clicking on this [+] adds the card to your clipboard. You'll see a black box like this one pop up in the bottom-right corner of the screen.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31789" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Untitled2.png" alt="" width="623" height="40" /></p>
<p>Meanwhile, the card image of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Locust God" href="#" target="_blank">The Locust God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has changed. It now features a white check mark, signifying that the card is on your clipboard.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31792" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture3.png" alt="" width="220" height="300" /></p>
<p>I'll add some of my favorite legendary creatures, and then we'll take a look at my clipboard.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31793" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture4.png" alt="" width="684" height="151" /></p>
<p>Here we can see quite a bit. I've got 12 creatures added to my clipboard from the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/ur">Izzet Commanders</a> page. Clicking on each name brings up the card image on the right, the last card I clicked on being [[Nin, the Pain Artist]]. To remove a card from the clipboard, click on the red X for the desired line. To wipe the clipboard entirely in one fell swoop, use the 'Clear' button in the lower right corner. To link to a card's page from the clipboard, click the link icon in a given line (the icon to the left of the X).</p>
<p>We'll discuss the rest of the clipboard's functionality when I'm closer to having a completed deck. For now, it looks like the legendary creatures I added all have something in common: they're drawing cards! Time to hit up the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/wheels">Theme page for Wheel decks</a>, I guess, and add a bunch of those cards to my clipboard too!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31795" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture5.png" alt="" width="679" height="149" /></p>
<p>Notice how, as I'm adding cards to this list, it's added more sections for the different card types (Instants, Sorceries, etc). Additionally, the values listed on the Card Kingdom and TCG Player buttons have gone up. These buttons can be used to shop for the deck on the respective sites! Looking for a budget-friendly boardwipe? You can throw some options into your clipboard, then shoot over to one of the sites and price them out. Want to figure out the price of a deck you're thinking of putting together? Use the links to those sites to find out! Plus, you'll be helping EDHREC in the process!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31814" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture8.png" alt="" width="696" height="80" /></p>
<p>Now for one of the coolest parts about this feature: the Recs. Down at the bottom of the clipboard, EDHREC will help me with my deck by making some suggestions. How thoughtful! Based on the cards I've already added, it will make some recommendations about other cards that often see play with the things already in my list!</p>
<p>To add a recommendation, just click the green check mark next to the card. This will add it to the main list, and your Recs will begin recalculating.</p>
<p>Anyway, back to work. I wonder if the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/ur#izzetstaples">Izzet Staples</a> page could help me round this out?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31811" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture6.png" alt="" width="689" height="152" /></p>
<p>There! I've got the deck all set! (It may only say 83 cards in my clipboard, but don't forget that the basic lands each only count for one card.) I think I'm finally ready to make a decision on my commander for this UR legendary card draw machine. It's going to have to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31812" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture7.png" alt="" width="699" height="78" /></p>
<p>I can flag her as my commander by clicking the yellow crown next to her name. This will separate out the commander into its own special section at the top of the clipboard, as seen above.</p>
<p>Now that I'm ready to export my deck, I'll select the 'Copy' button in the bottom right corner to copy the list. It's now paste-able into Notepad or the deck builder website of your choice (perhaps <a href="https://archidekt.com/">Archidekt</a>, given the <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/archidekt-and-edhrec-announce-partnership/">article</a> earlier this week)!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31815" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture8.5.png" alt="" width="574" height="300" /></p>
<p>I decided to export to Notepad so I could format my decklist for this very article! Here you can see it pastes out in alphabetical order.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-31818" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Capture10.png" alt="" width="290" height="393" /></p>
<hr />
<h2>Win. <del>Lose.</del> DRAW!</h2>
<p>Alright, now that we've successfully used the new clipboard function on EDHREC, how about we talk a little about this deck? The point of this deck is to draw cards for extra benefits. We've got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chasm Skulker" href="#" target="_blank">Chasm Skulker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Psychosis Crawler" href="#" target="_blank">Psychosis Crawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> along with all their draw-trigger friends. A wide assortment of Niv-Mizzets both fuels the draw and slings some damage, and Jhoira will draw us cards every time we play one of these awesome Izzet powerhouses. There're oodles of ways to pull off a win: combat, burn, life loss, decking out our opposition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Laboratory Maniac" href="#" target="_blank">Laboratory Maniac</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>... this should just be some fun, raw power at the table. Here you go!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="UR Legendary" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div></p>
<p>[Commander]<br />
*1 Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain<br />
[/Commander]</p>
<p>[Creatures]<br />
*1 Fblthp, the Lost<br />
*1 Jushi Apprentice<br />
*1 Kami of the Crescent Moon<br />
*1 Nin, the Pain Artist<br />
*1 Chasm Skulker<br />
*1 Jori En, Ruin Diver<br />
*1 Kefnet the Mindful<br />
*1 Laboratory Maniac<br />
*1 Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist<br />
*1 Braids, Conjurer Adept<br />
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph<br />
*1 Toothy, Imaginary Friend<br />
*1 Venser, Shaper Savant<br />
*1 Keranos, God of Storms<br />
*1 Kraum, Ludevic's Opus<br />
*1 Psychosis Crawler<br />
*1 Arcanis the Omnipotent<br />
*1 Arjun, the Shifting Flame<br />
*1 Consecrated Sphinx<br />
*1 Mindwrack Liege<br />
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius<br />
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun<br />
*1 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind<br />
*1 The Locust God<br />
*1 Tomorrow, Azami's Familiar<br />
*1 Nezahal, Primal Tide<br />
*1 Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur<br />
[/Creatures]</p>
<p>[Instants]<br />
*1 Pongify<br />
*1 Rapid Hybridization<br />
*1 Swan Song<br />
*1 Cyclonic Rift<br />
*1 Electrodominance<br />
*1 Izzet Charm<br />
*1 Reality Shift<br />
*1 Chaos Warp<br />
*1 Ionize<br />
[/Instants]</p>
<p>[Sorceries]<br />
*1 Vandalblast<br />
*1 Reminisce<br />
*1 Blasphemous Act<br />
[/Sorceries]</p>
<p>[Enchantments]<br />
*1 Propaganda<br />
*1 Rhystic Study<br />
*1 Sphinx's Tutelage<br />
*1 Mindmoil<br />
[/Enchantments]</p>
<p>[Artifacts]<br />
*1 Sensei's Divining Top<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Fire Diamond<br />
*1 Izzet Signet<br />
*1 Mind Stone<br />
*1 Ruby Medallion<br />
*1 Sapphire Medallion<br />
*1 Sky Diamond<br />
*1 Thought Vessel<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Izzet Locket<br />
*1 Quicksilver Amulet<br />
*1 Trading Post<br />
*1 Alhammarret's Archive<br />
*1 Gilded Lotus<br />
*1 Venser's Journal<br />
[/Artifacts]</p>
<p>[Lands]<br />
*1 Cascade Bluffs<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Desert of the Fervent<br />
*1 Desert of the Mindful<br />
*1 Evolving Wilds<br />
*1 Forgotten Cave<br />
*11 Island<br />
*1 Izzet Boilerworks<br />
*1 Lonely Sandbar<br />
*1 Mana Confluence<br />
*8 Mountain<br />
*1 Reflecting Pool<br />
*1 Reliquary Tower<br />
*1 Remote Isle<br />
*1 Scalding Tarn<br />
*1 Shivan Reef<br />
*1 Smoldering Crater<br />
*1 Spirebluff Canal<br />
*1 Steam Vents<br />
*1 Sulfur Falls<br />
*1 Swiftwater Cliffs<br />
*1 Temple of Epiphany<br />
*1 Terramorphic Expanse<br />
[/Lands]</p>
<p>[/Deck]</p>

<hr />
<h2>Tutorial Complete. Time to Play the Real Game!</h2>
<p>I hope you've all enjoyed this walk through the new clipboard functionality. I know I'll be using this feature quite a bit as I continue to use EDHREC for deckbuilding. Any questions or comments about the new feature? Please let them loose in the comments section below. Snide remarks about my most recent brew are also graciously accepted.</p>
<p>Now go out and give the clipboard feature a spin. You won't regret it!</p>


New EDHREC Feature! A Clipboard for Cards

<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix" href="#" target="_blank">Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and I have a special personal relationship, in that I was honored to be literally the first person to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ1ehiPRXk0">sing Kydele's praises to the world.</a> Since the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prophet of Kruphix" href="#" target="_blank">Prophet of Kruphix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> left the stage, the Big K needs a new multi-armed wizard to represent his interests in the mortal world.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8600" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/kydele.png" alt="" width="223" height="311" /></p>
<blockquote><p>
{Tap}: Add {C} to your mana pool for each card you've drawn this turn.
</p></blockquote>
<p>Let's take that piece by piece.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Tap Kydele as the cost of the activated ability.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 30px">Summoning sickness does apply. Haste enablers could be useful.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px">If we can untap her, then we can do the ability again.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Add {C} to your mana pool...</strong></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 30px">She's a 4 CMC mana dork.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>...for each card you've drawn this turn.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 30px">She's a 4 CMC mana dork for an arbitrary amount of mana. We can increase the amount of mana gained by doing more of something else that we already wanted to do anyway, since drawing more cards gives us more ways to use all that mana we can get.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Untapping Kydele</h2>
<p>You can't really tell from the art, but Kydele is <em>totally ripped</em>. It's because of her exercise regimen from all the sit-ups she does, tapping and untapping and again and repeat so many times in a single turn. Or was it standing push-ups? Either way, it is often the last turn, because the game suddenly looks to be over.</p>
<p>Among her favorite exercise equipment is the sweat-whisking material of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umbral Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Umbral Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (3192 decks). It also allows infinite colorless mana after she has finished her warm-up of drawing 4 cards in a single turn. Sometimes she puts in the earbuds and trances out to the droning background hum of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4658 decks) to get in the zone and power out all the colorless spells in her (four) hand(s).</p>
<p>To support her athletic career, she has considered commercial sponsorship deals with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magewright&#039;s Stone" href="#" target="_blank">Magewright&#039;s Stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (1578 decks) and the multinational beverage corporation behind <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thousand-Year Elixir" href="#" target="_blank">Thousand-Year Elixir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (6990 decks). Behind the scenes, the mega-corporate ad business is greatly intertwined, as you can see from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magewright&#039;s Stone" href="#" target="_blank">Magewright&#039;s Stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s Signature Card portfolio, which includes all of the above products.</p>
<p>Although not all famous celebrities care about being able to tap more than once, she is in fine company with over a hundred other notables who might have their own ideas about it...</p>
<p><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;type=+[legendary]+[creature]&amp;text=+[%22{T}%22]">Search: Type: AND legendary creature, Text: "{T}" (131 results)</a></p>
<p><em>(Other search sites may use different codes, but "{T}" is what Gatherer uses to search in a card's rules text for the tap symbol.)</em></p>
<hr />
<h2>Drawing More Cards</h2>
<p>For mental exercise, and due to the fact that it weighs about twenty pounds and can be used as a medicine ball during crunches, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Puzzle Box" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Puzzle Box</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (3919 decks) helps her focus and bulk up at the start of her strength days. She "inherited" this artifact from an elf guy she used to be dating before she turned pro... <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/leovold-emissary-of-trest">Leovold</a> was his name. He suddenly "retired" from the life and skipped town, but he left most of his stuff behind in her apartment when he moved out. <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/leovold-emissary-of-trest">She still makes good use of a lot of it.</a></p>
<hr />
<h3>Card Draw Timing</h3>
<p>Unlike some commanders who don't care when they draw the cards to get their benefits, Kydele prefers drawing multiple cards on the same turn that she can use her mana. This implies doing it on her own turn, which lowers the utility of things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that draw cards on opponent turns. On the other hand, we could look into flash enablers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vedalken Orrery" href="#" target="_blank">Vedalken Orrery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leyline of Anticipation" href="#" target="_blank">Leyline of Anticipation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alchemist&#039;s Refuge" href="#" target="_blank">Alchemist&#039;s Refuge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to cast stuff whenever we can. Whether or not it is a good investment to devote a portion of the deck toward that plan depends on being able to both draw many cards and untap Kydele during opponents' turns. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murkfiend Liege" href="#" target="_blank">Murkfiend Liege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> come to mind for untapping, especially if we add the usual suite of green mana dork creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Intruder Alarm" href="#" target="_blank">Intruder Alarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can act as a secondary <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that also works when your opponents cast their creatures.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Arbitrary Amounts of Colorless Mana</h2>
<p>So as long as the first few steps are working together, we have a potentially large amount of colorless mana. What can we do with it?</p>
<p>Do you like the colorless <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;color=+![B]+![U]+![G]+![R]+![W]&amp;subtype=+[eldrazi]&amp;cmc=+!=[0]">eldrazi (48 results)</a>?</p>
<p>How about <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;color=+![B]+![U]+![G]+![R]+![W]&amp;cmc=+!=[0]&amp;type=+![creature]&amp;subtype=+[eldrazi]">eldrazi non-creatures (4 results)</a>?</p>
<p>Do you want to make another deck about <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;color=+![B]+![U]+![G]+![R]+![W]&amp;type=+[artifact]">artifacts (1643 results)</a>?</p>
<p>What if they happen to be made of <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=221563">Blightsteel (1 result)</a>?</p>
<p>All of the above? Are there any phyrexian artifact eldrazi? No? Not <em>yet</em>. Commander 2021 Unset Tribal: MechPhydrazi.</p>
<p>Do you like <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;mana=+~[X]">cards with X in their mana cost (271 results)</a>?</p>
<p>Do you like <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;text=+[{X}]">cards with an activated ability that includes {X} in the mana cost (160 results)</a>?</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Deck</h2>
<p>I considered a Temur Wizard tribal with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist" href="#" target="_blank">Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> but then remembered that <a href="http://articles.edhrec.com/partner-focus-thrasios-triton-hero/">I already sort of did that</a> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrasios, Triton Hero" href="#" target="_blank">Thrasios, Triton Hero</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Since I want to try out the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torment of Hailfire" href="#" target="_blank">Torment of Hailfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I'm leaning towards a focus on cards with {X} in the mana cost. Since I've already mentally added black to this deck, that reminds me that I can add <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Villainous Wealth" href="#" target="_blank">Villainous Wealth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as well.</p>
<p>A lot of leftover tech from <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/leovold-emissary-of-trest">Leovold's wheelhouse</a> also causes opponents to discard their hands, which not only complements a mill strategy, it helps alleviate the benefits your opponents may get from symmetrical card draw effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Howling Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Howling Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If we remove the few blue wheels that shuffle opponent graveyards back into libraries, then we can make something along the lines of mill with added discard. If we pair with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vial Smasher the Fierce" href="#" target="_blank">Vial Smasher the Fierce</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> then we can add red or black wheels from commanders such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Locust God" href="#" target="_blank">The Locust God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Speaking of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Locust God" href="#" target="_blank">The Locust God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I mentioned in my deck tech in <a href="http://articles.edhrec.com/commander-time-e6-gods-of-devastation/">episode 6 of the Commander Time! podcast</a> that a wheel-heavy deck could benefit from the original legendary eldrazi titans <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek, Butcher of Truth" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek, Butcher of Truth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre" href="#" target="_blank">Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, since discarding them puts your own graveyard back into your library. They also happen to have large casting costs of colorless mana, and Kozilek at least can draw some cards for you, so they can make a decent backup plan if you haven't drawn a good X spell. The graveyard shuffle also eases the sting of self-sacrificing effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Memory Jar" href="#" target="_blank">Memory Jar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magus of the Wheel" href="#" target="_blank">Magus of the Wheel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magus of the Jar" href="#" target="_blank">Magus of the Jar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, since we might be able to draw and use them again if the game lasts a while. Consider it a very slow form of graveyard recursion.</p>
<p>While this deck does include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it does not include related cards along the lines of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spiteful Visions" href="#" target="_blank">Spiteful Visions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fevered Visions" href="#" target="_blank">Fevered Visions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that increase card draw but punish opponents with further damage for drawing cards. Adding that subtheme is an option, but it takes up significant deck space. I consider it a lower priority than cards that work toward the primary strategy of "drawing lots of cards", the secondary strategy of "doing something with X colorless mana", or the tertiary strategy of "untapping Kydele to make more colorless mana".</p>
<p>Another potential wheel-related subtheme is adding cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megrim" href="#" target="_blank">Megrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Waste Not" href="#" target="_blank">Waste Not</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that do something when your opponents discard. The drawback is that they do nothing until you force your opponents to discard. I made an exception for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Geth&#039;s Grimoire" href="#" target="_blank">Geth&#039;s Grimoire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, since it has the potential to turn any wheel into a card draw explosion (see above: "primary strategy"). While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nath of the Gilt-Leaf" href="#" target="_blank">Nath of the Gilt-Leaf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a pet card of mine, he does not actually help the first three strategies.</p>
<p>Speaking of Nath, we could shift over to a token creature strategy with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Locust God" href="#" target="_blank">The Locust God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spewing bugs with our wheels and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oona, Queen of the Fae" href="#" target="_blank">Oona, Queen of the Fae</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turning Kydele's colorless mana (and one black or blue) into card exile and a few faeries. This seems like it would require more support explicitly for token creatures, but if we don't care that much about untapping Kydele then we would swap out some of the untappers supporting the current tertiary strategy for token-related cards.</p>
<p>Enjoy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Kydele + Vials: Wheelhouse" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commanders]
*1 Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix
*1 Vial Smasher the Fierce
[/Commanders]
[Creatures]
*1 Whirlpool Rider
*1 Thrasios, Triton Hero
*1 Aphetto Alchemist
*1 Kiora&#039;s Follower
*1 Whirlpool Warrior
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
*1 Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
*1 Magus of the Wheel
*1 Whirlpool Drake
*1 Forgotten Creation
*1 Fatestitcher
*1 Vizier of Tumbling Sands
*1 Nekusar, the Mindrazer
*1 Magus of the Jar
*1 Arjun, the Shifting Flame
*1 Consecrated Sphinx
*1 Prime Speaker Zegana
*1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
*1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Fateful Showdown
*1 Comet Storm
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Minds Aglow
*1 Wheel of Fate
*1 Windfall
*1 Wheel of Fortune
*1 Molten Psyche
*1 Dark Deal
*1 Whispering Madness
*1 Reforge the Soul
*1 By Force
*1 Exsanguinate
*1 Mind Grind
*1 Torment of Hailfire
*1 Villainous Wealth
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Howling Mine
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Temple Bell
*1 Magewright&#039;s Stone
*1 Thousand-Year Elixir
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Umbral Mantle
*1 Font of Mythos
*1 Geth&#039;s Grimoire
*1 Memory Jar
*1 Paradox Engine
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Dictate of Kruphix
*1 Rites of Flourishing
*1 Retreat to Coralhelm
*1 Intruder Alarm
*1 Leyline of the Void
*1 Mindmoil
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Dack Fayden
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Reflecting Pool
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Fire-Lit Thicket
*1 Flooded Grove
*1 Graven Cairns
*1 Sunken Ruins
*1 Twilight Mire
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Swamp
*1 Minamo, School at Water&#039;s Edge
*2 Island
*3 Forest
*3 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next time: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ravos, Soultender" href="#" target="_blank">Ravos, Soultender</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></p>


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